Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 129, Number 8, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 23 February 2006 — Page 1

A 1 gllir WBLIC UIWBW "T Serving Nappanee & Wakarusa

Embrace the Pace

m! VARIETY SHOW Wakarusa Elementary will be presenting its annual "Wildcat's WeView" Variety Show on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. in the elementary gymnasium. This year, there are 16 acts, featuring 65 students, with Maddie Schwartz and Jana Yoder working as Masters of Ceremonies. Students will be performing a variety of acts, including: Vocal, piano, violin, saxophone and guitar solos; duets; larger group numbers; skits; dance routines, as well as the school's show choir, Younger Generation. The public is cordially invited to attend, and admission is free. HERITAGE HOUSE The following events w ill be held at the Heritage. House, located in CR 7 in Nappanee: • "Stronger after Sixty: The Fitness Fountain of Youth" with Lauren Gernhardt, who holds a Master of Science in Health and Kinesiology from Purdue University, will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23, from 2 to 3 p.m. • "Cyanide & Antique Lace," a Mystery Dinner Theatre with Playhouse Productions will be presented on Friday, Feb. 24. PANCAKE BREAKFAST An all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast will"be held at the First Church of God on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 7 to 10 a.m. Along with the pancakes, sausage, eggs, coffee and juice will be offered at a price of $5 for adults, $2 for children between 3 and 10 years of age, with children under 3 eating free. Tickets may be reserved by calling 773-7743, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The breakfast is sponsored by the Men's Ministry. The church is located at the corner of County Roads 7 and 54 in Nappanee. FUNDRAISER The First Church of God Youth will hold a Nelson’s fundraiser between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25 in the parking lot of L.J. Wagner's, 1200 East Market St., Nappanee. BUFFET Miller's Senior Living of Wakarusa is having a Mardi Gras Buffet on Tuesday, Feb. 28, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The menu will consist of smoked sausage, chicken gumbo over rice, southwest See AROUND, Page A 2

■ 0

Chamber hosts its Annual Dinner

By Anthony Godson Editor Each year, the Nappanee Area Chamber of Commerce holds its Annual Dinner to recognize outstanding business people and citizens. On Feb. 16, that tradition continued at the Dal-Mar Banquet Hall in Nappanee. Prior to handing out its Educator of the Year, Business of the Year and Citizen of the Year awards, as well as its Craftsman and the Harold Hoffer Memorial awards, Nappanee Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Larry Andrews gave his annual report. During his report, Andrews pointed out five areas, which he'd like to work on in 2006: Administration; Events; Marketing; Membership; and Programming. In terms of improving the administration portion of the Chamber, Andrews said that streamlining information will be an objective this year. "Currently, we work on three to four different databases," the director said. "Our goal is for all

Faith keeps Lightfoot grounded

By Anthony Godson Editor If you're going to be good at something, it's always helps to have experience with it. For Rvne Lightfoot, it's basketball he has experience with. "I've always been around basketball, with my dad coaching in college and at summer camps," the North Wood senior said. "I've just always been around the game, since I was about 2 (years old)." That experience has obviously helped Lightfoot, as he became North Wood's all-time leading scorer on Feb. 14 at John Glenn, eclipsing 1995 graduate Andy Hirschv's 1,552-point total. Prior to Tuesday night's game at Penn High School, Lightfoot had scored 1,586 points in his four years, with two regular season games and the postseason still left to play. While he's been carrying the scoring load for the Panthers over the years, Lightfoot is still quick to pass the credit around. "Coach (Dan) Gunn runs a lot of plays to me,'' Lightfoot said. "When I get the call, I just have to step." Lightfoot has been playing at the varsity level all of his high school career, with Gunn beginning to draw up plays for him early on. "As a sophomore we ran some plays for him, but not as many as we do now," Gunn said. "A lot of times we'll draw

National FFA Week kicked off early

By Anthony Godson Editor There may have been slicker vehicles in the North Wood High School parking lot last week, but there were a few larger ones that stole the show. National FFA Week may have been a celebrated a week early at North Wood, but the spirit was still there. "The National FFA Week is actually next week, but our FFA

l u < f*^H ._ 1 Hk jj -

ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO AW GADSON After being schooi was let out last Friday, members of the North Wood High School FFA drove their tractors down Woodvietf to County Road 7, winding down to the local Dairy Queen.

databases and computers be turned into one.". Along with updating its technology, Andrews is looking to update the Chamber's by-laws, which date back to 1959. "It's time to look at the bylaws, and get involved with the 21st Century," he said. After seeing 45,000 people visit Nappanee during the annual Apple Festival, it's one event that* he sees no need to change. "It was our most successful Apple Festival, and we've been doing this for 30 years," he said. "So, I'd say, we've been doing it pretty well, in my mind." Andrews cited a national organization's numbers, which placed the amount of money that the Apple Festival brought into Nappanee at $850,000. As the Apple Festival continues to succeed, the director would like to see some other programs improve, such as Christmas At Home. "We want to have a more exterior downtown lighting program for Christmas," he said. "We want to do more with

tIUENTARY I - tit I HH

. ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO/A.W GADSON Prior to North Wood’s Feb. 17 game against Bremen, North Wood Athletic Director Jay Olson presented North Wood senior Ryne Lightfoot with a basketball commemorating his new school record for career record. The old record was 1,552 points by 1995 graduate Andy Hirschy.

up plays to use him more as a decoy, to create shots for someone else." In drawing up plays for team mates, Gunn and his coaching staff are playing to another one of Lightfoot's developing strengths. "I've really developed my passing game and getting my team mates involved," Lightfoot said. "They hit the shots, and it makes me just want to hit them more."

is taking part in it now, because we'll be taking our finals next week," North Wood senior FFA member Brent Reed said last Friday. In recognition of the FFA, North Wood High School had a Wear Your Favorite Farm Hat, and a Wear Your Favorite Tractor Color Day during the week. "I'd sav there was a lot of green that day," Reed said about many FFA members

KBjgfi K JBggf MS mlSl Kkl J ftbtf 9B K ' B V I SHH I , s '’".; ul If ]’^l IHHHI IHf BHB

ADVANCE NEWS PHOTO/A.W. GADSON The Nappanee Area Chamber of Commerce distributed its annual awards on Feb. 16 at the Dal-Mar Banquet Hall. Recipients were: (left to right) Genie Tobias (Educator of the Year); Larry Perks (Business of the Year, Nappanee Window); Sandra Seanor (Craftsman of the Year); Sonya Hannan (Harold Hoffer Memorial Award); and Max Bigler (Citizen of the Year).

Christmas and have more lights on buildings." As far as marketing, Andrews commented that the Chamber's new Web site www.nappanee-

Gunn agrees that Lightfoot's biggest improvement from his freshman to senior year is his passing. "He sees the openings for the passes when he penetrates," Gunn said. "As a freshman and sophomore, he was more of a scorer. He just made the decision to improve that aspect of his game. He's also a lot better defensively." While his passing and defense has improved, it’s still his scor-

wearing green in honor of John Deere. On Feb. 15, it was Million Dollar Day, in which there was over $1 million worth of farm equipment in the high school parking lot. "The list price was at $1,025,000," Reed said about the amount of equipment in the parking lot. Then on Feb. 17, it was Drive Your Tractor to School Day. "This shows what kind of

chamber.com, which went online in May of 2005, has been doing well. "We've already gotten 22,503 hits," he said about the number

ing ability that garners the cheers, which also come with jeers. Anytime he walks onto a court, he hears the heckles from the opposing student sections, but that doesn't bother him. "I take it as a compliment," he said. "When I'd come home after a game, my parents would just tell me, 'They wouldn't chant things if you didn't work See LIGHTFOOT, Page A 2

farming community this is," Reed said, referring to the 13 tractors located at the school. As has been tradition, many of the students who drove tractors into school, first met at Reed's farm, located on County Road 48. From there, the Nappanee Police Department helped to escort the tractors along State Road 19. "We try to do it with a group," North Wood High School Resource Officer Brad Balasa said about escorting the tractors in. "If you have one tractor on (SR) 19, it can get irritating. But we've.never received a complaint about an entire group." Five of the tractors driven in, actually belong to the Reed family, and according to Reed, parents trust their kids with the expensive equipment. "They know we're good," he said. They may have had a police escort to school, but after the bell rang at 3 p.m., the FFA students were escort-less on their way to the local Dairy Queen. See FFA, Page A 6

of people who have logged onto the site. "That's about an average of 61 people a day in 2005." See DINNER, Page A 6

House offering more than housing By Anthony Godson Editor When Heritage House opened its doors in 2004, it was known for its assisted living, but it's offering much more. "We're going to continue to schedule public events, which also provide entertainment for our residents," Heritage House Community Relations Bev Fales said. "It's mutually beneficial for both." Among the recent events scheduled at Heritage House was a program entitled, "Finding the Buried Treasures in Elkhart County," given by Amanda Ostrom, Administrative Assistant at the Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau. During her presentation, Ostrom outlined all the attractions that are tucked away throughout the Elkhart County countryside. "This is a home to a lot of genuinely nice people," Ostrom said about what visitors to the area often say. Those visitors may meet most of the "nice people" while traveling the county's HeritageTrail, which measures pver 90; miles. The Heritage Trail ventures through Bristol, Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, Nap-panee, Shipshewana and Wakarusa, taking people through all that the county has to offer. If someone from out of the area is taking a trip along the Trail, then he or she is probably most interested in the Amish community. "The county has the third largest Amish population in the nation," Ostrom said. To help educate visitors about the Amish lifestyle, Ostrom said that she hears some unusual questions. "Some people want Amish clothing sent to them in California, or they'll call saying that want to marry into an Amish family," she said. “People are amazed by the lifestyle." Among the examples of what Sm HERITAGE, Page A 6